“C’est bien mal De la part d’une sœur. Il n’est pas d’animal, Pas de corbeau goulu, pas de loup, pas de chouette, Pas d’oison, pas de bœuf, pas même de poët e, Pas de Mahométan, pas de théologien, Pas d’échevin flamand, pas d’ours et pas de chien, Plus laid, plus chevelu, plus repoussant des formes, Plus caparaçonné d’absurdités énormes, Plus hérissé, plus sale et plus gonflé de vent, Que cet âne bâté qu’on appelle un savant. .... Médecine inouïe! Conseiller les savants à quelqu’un qui s’ennuie!” And again, we have a fact put in rhyme, though it be told of other buffoons, in the passage where Francis, pointing to three courtiers, tells Triboulet that they are employed in making sport of him. “Not of me,” says Triboulet, “but of another fool.” “And who is he?” asks Francis. “The King,” briefly and drily replies the buffoon, who especially hated the courtiers, who as heartily hated the King’s jester. Francis, still remarking on the three, observes discontentedly, “I have made one an admiral, one a grand constable, and of the third, controller of my household. What more could I do for them?” “Well,” returns Triboulet, “there is _one_ thing more you might very justly do for them;--you might hang them!” It may be added, that the _plaisant_ did not at all fear those whom he exasperated by the exercise of his wit; and his feeling in this respect is well illustrated by his remark to one of the illustrious gentlemen whom he had offended, and by whom he was thrashed:-- “Be assured, my good seigneurs, that Triboulet’s far From dreading the nobles ’gainst whom he makes war. Dread! I dread nothing; my heart’s calm and cool; For I’ve nothing to risk but the head of a fool.” Triboulet, after his death, was not honoured, like Thevenin de Saint-Légier, with a magnificent tomb and a superscribed epitaph. Nevertheless, he did not lack a poet who at least penned an epitaph which is in very tolerable Latin, and has fool’s wit in its closing turn. It is by Jean Bouté, was printed in 1538, and is to this effect:-- “Vixi _Morio_, Regibus qui gratus Solo hoc nomine; viso num futurus Regum Morio sim Jovi Supremo.”